Open vs Enclosed Auto Transport

Difference between Open and Enclosed Auto Transport

Vehicle transportation companies assist with shipping your vehicle to any city in the country or even overseas, but the way this is done is based on the offered procedures and methods that the company has to offer.

While the majority of companies use a vehicle multi-carrier or trailer, you have to choose between going for open or closed transportation based on your preferences and requirements. Both methods are going to use a truck for the transport but they have certain differences. However, if the length of your journey is short, your carrier might be smaller and handle up to 6 vehicles. Of course, you can also see a single vehicle carrier.

Open Vehicle Shipping

When you are told that the company will go for an open-air trailer, you can expect for the process to be rather regular. This type of carrier or trailer is between 70 and 85 feet in length and it’s going to haul a trailer with two-level for two rows of cars on top and on the bottom. You will find that there is no sides and roof of the carrier which makes the vehicles exposed to the winds and weather throughout the journey.

Benefits and disadvantages of Open Auto Shipping

There are certain advantages as well as disadvantages that can include:

• Cons – your vehicle is going to be exposed to the weather conditions and there is little to no protection against debris which makes it less secure.
• Pros – it’s by far the least expensive option and it provides better visibility which allows the driver to easily inspect the cars. Moreover, this particular type of trailer is also lighter and it’s going to use a lesser amount of fuel.

Enclosed Transport

The trucks for enclosed transportation have an enclosed trailer with 4 sides and a roof which provides extreme protection throughout the transportation. If you have a highly prized car which is a luxury, expensive or a sports car, you might want to go for this type of transportation as it’s going to provide you tremendous amounts of security as well as protection from debris and from the elements as well.

The downside is that it doesn’t provide the driver a chance to do regularly inspect the vehicle. Moreover, it’s going to use a lot more fuel than an open-air transport carrier making it a lot more expensive as well.

In order to be able to properly pick the right method of shipping, you need to consider the amount of security that you are going to need for the vehicle. If you want to ship a collector’s vehicle or an antique one, you might want to go for a fully enclosed car carrier. However, if you have a regular old model you are probably better off with an open-air trailer. Of course, you want to get as many quotes as you can in order to be sure that you aren’t being ripped off.

Read more about enclosed auto transport carriers.

Related Information & FAQ

• Quotes & rates (enclosed auto transport)